The Republican journal., 1887-03-17
The Police Court Matter at Augusta.

The petition of the temperance people of Belfast
and Waldo county that trial justices be given con-
current jurisdiction with the police court in search
and seizure cases came before the House Thursday
on majority and minority reports from the Legal
Affairs commttee-the former leave to withdraw );
the latter ought to pass. We quote from the official
report of the proceedings i'll the kennebec Journal
Mr.. Looney moved to substitute the minority re
port for the majority, and addressed the House,
claiming that the bill was in the interest of temper
ance. Mr.. Harrington gave the reasons governing
the majority of the committee.
Mr.. Wilson of Belfast opposed the minority re-
port. Gle characterized the action of the petition
ers as being prompted by desire to injure the
judge of the police court in Belfast, acho hadairays
0cted ~ The interest Of temperance.''
Mr.. Wright of Paris 'thought this matter did not
particularly involve the enforcement Of the liquor
law in Belfast 1t was simply personal question
between two local factions
Mr.. Noble of Lewiston "wished to know why the
petitioners who asked for this legislation did not
proceed in the proper manner and impcach the
judge of the police court of Belfast. for mafeas-
ancc i'll Office
Mr. Noble was one of the majority who reported
leave t" Withdraw, and he expressed the sentiments
Of others. The matter Of proceeding for the i'm
parchment of this Official was considered by the
committee of temperance workers and it was fountl
that half of them were in sympathy with him on To-
cal questions, and it was then decided to only ask
for such legislation as would enable them to Oh
tam warrants, which the police judge had refused
to issue
Mr.. Allen Of Alfred preferred to the fact that
these trial justices formerly had concurrent iuris-
dictoh with the police court. lie stated that the
Judge considered the law governing this matter,
section 40, chapter p, unconstitutional and there
fore he refused to issue under it. unless
the person who applied for it stated that he knew
the liquors were at the place stated. He though,
this wrong"
Mr.. Littlcfcld of Prospect chad many aequaint-
anccs on both sides of this fight and in the opinion
of the majority of the people of that city the police
court stood in the way Of the enforcement of the
law there Certainly he knew from going there
frequently, that rum flowed freely in that city
Mr. Harrington again said he "did not see why
this Legislature SHOULD interfere with ts local po-
litical fight and that "tlio committee " did not
think there more high minded or better ten.
perance man IN Betast' than the Judge of the DO.
lice court.
would not be difficult to trace the source from
which Messr=. Harrington and Wright derived
their mis- information. The Belfast Representative
of course simply obeyed the bidding of his
The surprising thing was that MI. Looncy's motion
was defeated by only majority, the vote on sub.
shutting the minority for the majority report
standing A to 80. sllally the statement of Rep
resentatvc on LEGAL matter is accepted as conclu
sye, but in this instance Il change of four votes
would have given the temperance people Of this
city and county what they asked for-opportunitv
to obtain warrants As the matter stands now the
people OF Belfast taxed to maintain a court that
obstrucs The enforcement of the laws from muti,,
which no one can fail to understand.
y Republican Representative in Il private letter
TO the ciitor Of the Journal says: 1--WE tried hard
to have our bill passed. | denounced on the floor
the shameless administration of the law in vour
city. We were beaten by ten votes. am sorry
but it cannot be helped. oar mistake was in not
calling for yea and nay vote Some Of tie pro.
ffSseH friends of temperance voted against Us
There is altogether too much hypocrisy in the
temperance movement"